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U.S. Aid to Palestinians in Jeopardy over Hamas Link

(AP) Donna Cassata - American aid to the Palestinians is in jeopardy over their ties to the terrorist group Hamas, unwillingness to restart negotiations with Israel, and push for statehood at the UN over U.S. resistance, congressional Republicans and Democrats warned on Tuesday. Lawmakers signaled that U.S. assistance to the Palestinians could be eliminated as Fatah and Hamas reconcile and try to form a new government. Israel and the U.S. consider Hamas a terrorist organization. "I would suggest to the Palestinian Authority leadership that when you get into a cage with a tiger, you're not a partner; you're a lunch," said Rep. Gary Ackerman of New York, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia. "As a matter of both law and basic decency, we will never do business with or provide aid to a government controlled by or reporting to terrorists." Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Ohio, chairman of the subcommittee, said: "The Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act requires the Palestinian Authority to stop incitement and recognize the Jewish state of Israel's right to exist if it wants to keep receiving U.S. assistance. Given the Palestinian Authority's record and given U.S. law, how can we justify continued assistance?" In 2009, the Arab countries gave the PA $462 million, a contribution that dropped to $287 million in 2010 and $78.5 million this year.
2011-07-13 00:00:00
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